Spring Wind
by acantabloom
Summary: Sanada has to make a painful decision. SanadaYukimura


**A/N: I actually wrote this about a week ago, and it vanished from my computer. I'm not going to think about what that implies...Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Any reviews will of course be greatly appreciated.**

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis

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Sanada turned his attention away from the third year he had crushed in that afternoon's practice match, and draped a towel over his neck. It was mostly out of habit, as he was barely sweating. 

"Genichirou," a voice called. Sanada spun around, and saw Yukimura leaning against a tree a short distance away from the court. He wished he could capture the moment—Yukimura's face was glowing with the late morning sun, and his hair formed a pale blue halo about his head, rumpled by the wind.

But this serene vision brought an all too familiar ache to his heart. A memory rose to the surface unbidden, of his own lips pressing desperately against another pair, which neither encouraged nor resisted. Yukimura had never mentioned it, and Sanada often wondered if it had not been only a dream. No, his emotions would not be so real and raw from a mere fantasy. And he could not seem to forget, no matter how hard he tried.

No matter how relaxed he appeared to a casual observer, Yukimura was not at ease right now. Sanada had learned to recognize when his friend was troubled—the slight clench of the jaw, the hidden eyes, and the strange, melancholy silence. Did Yukimura's thoughts echo his today, or were they of an entirely different kind?

He waited for Yukimura to speak.

"The third years will graduate soon," Yukimura said, his tone casual but forced.

Sanada, confused, did not reply. Yukimura rarely stated the obvious.

"I will be captain next year, you know." Sanada nodded—it had not been officially announced, but everyone had assumed it would be so.

"You will be a good captain," he said, since Yukimura seemed so hesitant. Surely he was nervous about such a thing?

"It will be our year. Me, Renji, Niou, Marui...we have all waited for this time."

"And me," Sanada added, frowning.

"Yes, Genichirou,"—and did Yukimura sigh? "You most of all, I think."

Sanada couldn't help but smile at the thought of the Nationals victory Rikkaidai would surely claim again next year, this time with Yukimura as their leader.

"I want you to be my vice captain." said Yukimura, interrupting his thoughts yet again.

This also should have been no surprise, but somehow Sanada had hardly considered the matter. With Yukimura as captain, vice captain had seemed irrelevant. But of course, that was not true. No matter how superb the captain, he needed a vice captain to help him oversee the team, and to take his place if necessary.

"A vice captain can't lean on the captain too much," Yukimura continued. "He needs to have his own authority. You understand?" His voice was almost pleading.

Sanada turned to face him directly, and Yukimura's eyes were filled with sorrow. But they were also soft and warm. It was a gaze that Sanada had seen lovers give to each other, but had never felt or understood until now. Had Yukimura ever looked at him that way before? Could he possibly have missed it?

"It's your choice, Genichirou," Yukimura said. "Vice captain, or…"

"And if I choose…you?" Sanada forced the words through dry and trembling lips.

"Renji will be vice captain."

"And?"

"Renji is not a leader," Yukimura stated.

"You think I am?"

"You know you are."

Sanada removed his cap and crushed it between his hands. Yukimura was right—a vice captain who was romantically involved with the captain would not have clear authority. The team would never see him in his own right, but only as the captain's shadow. And such a relationship would be an enormous distraction. Some schools did not mind such weakness, but it was not the way of Rikkaidai.

There was no choice at all, of course. His path was clear.

"I guessed that this would be your choice," Yukimura said. Was he glad? Regretful? " But if I never asked, than you might think that I did not care for you." He chuckled quietly, as if the whole matter was a joke. "You will forget it now, I hope."

"Yukimura…" Sanada pleaded. "Another year, high school…" He was ashamed, to have sunk so low, to be behaving like this. What good was his love to Yukimura, after all? He should not have ever entertained such selfish thoughts. As vice captain, he could be of some use.

Yukimura shook his head, and patted Sanada on the shoulder. "You are strong. It will be better if we both forget. It is Rikkai you love, more than anything."

Sanada did not know what to say to that. He knew that was ambitious, he loathed defeat, and found losers not worth considering. He dreamed of leading Rikkaidai to ever greater strength. Was that love? Really, all he could know right now was that he could not imagine a future in which he held Yukimura in his arms, but the trophy at the Nationals eluded his grasp.

"Someday, you will find the right person," Yukimura promised.

_Victory_, Sanada vowed. _I will find victory._

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**A/N: What do you think? Was it too melodramatic?  
**


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